The NBA Board of Governors approved a new league policy that prevents teams from resting two “star” players in the same game, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania. A star player is defined as someone who made an All-Star or All-NBA team in the past three seasons. That means the Washington Wizards will be exempt from the measure.
The Wizards are one of 15 teams without multiple star players. Since the Wizards don’t have a “star” player, they can be in the position to tank down the stretch if the season goes awry.
The Wizards plan to push for the playoffs this season, with eyes on a rebuild in 2025, per The Athletic’s Josh Robbins.
The other teams without multiple star players include the Nets, Raptors, Knicks, Pacers, Pistons, Magic, Hornets, Blazers, Thunder, Jazz, Rockets, Spurs, Pelicans, and ironically, the NBA champions, Nuggets.
Even still, some players such as LeBron James are exempt from the rule, per ESPN’s Bobby Marks.
The NBA will allow pre-approved designated back-to-back allowances for players who are 35 years old on opening night or have career workloads of 34,000 regular-season minutes or 1,000 regular-season and playoff games combined, sources said.
The star players who fall under this category include Chris Paul, Mike Conley, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, DeMar DeRozan and James Harden.
Washington traded cornerstone Bradley Beal to the Phoenix Suns in June. Then offloaded Chris Paul, who they got in the Beal trade, to the Golden State Warriors for a package centered around Jordan Poole.
The Wizards also traded Kristaps Porzingis to the Boston Celtics. However, they re-signed Kyle Kuzma. Kuzma and Poole will usher the Wizards into a new chapter. But neither is a star at this point.
Poole and Kuzma have the potential to have breakthrough seasons that could make them All-Stars. But in the loaded Eastern Conference, the task could be daunting if Washington isn’t winning.
It’s worth noting Poole played in all 82 games last season with the Warriors. He missed just six the previous season. He’s durable. But if Washington’s season goes off the rails, the Wizards may have to consider it’s first-round pick in next year’s draft.
The pick belongs to the New York Knicks but is top-12 protected. If Washington wants that pick, and the playoffs and play-in is just out of reach, the Wizards will have to protect that pick and could tank down the stretch.
Maybe after a few years of positioning, Washington will have multiple star players in the future to apply to the NBA’s new resting policy.
